Author's notes: Well, um... how should I put this... This chapter ties to the Hereafter-story and to that scene in Traveler Among Wizards where Clark was faced with Lobo while breaking into/out of Gringotts. So, that.
The Tie-In
It was another day in Cardiff, Britain, when people saw a flying motorcycle flying in the sky and then disappear in a loud explosion, like one of these there had been seen on Earth years ago. It was obviously something special as in it's tail, the people saw the Man of Steel himself flying to the Bay and beginning to look around where the motorcyclist had disappeared.
''Okay, Lobo, I'm here now,'' Superman said looking for anything suspicious in the area. ''Now what am I supposed to find here?''
It had been years, so many years since the man of steel had been warned about what had happened. He had been just a young man when the warning had been given to him and he had been in a hurry and so uninterested about the message about the future.
Floating in the air above the Cardiff Bay, Superman used every vision power he had trying to find atleast something connected his friend's disappearance.
BOOM!
A Boomtube opened below Superman and Cyborg walked out, followed by Zatanna.
''It's alright, people,'' Cyborg told to the masses gathering near them. ''The Justice League is on the case. Disperse and let us do our job.''
''What is so special about this place?'' Zatanna wondered out-loud looking at Superman. ''It was tragic that Lobo just attacked the Watchtower and took Bruce, but why come here?''
''Tell me about it,'' Cyborg responded annoyed. ''Now I have to upgrade out defenses and firewalls.''
''I meant that Lobo came there just to take Batman,'' Zatanna grunted mildly crossed. ''Why single him out from everyone else?''
''Sorry,'' Cyborg said as Aquaman jumped out of the ocean and Wonder Woman flew to the scene.
''Kal, what are we doing here?'' Wonder Woman asked flying up next to Superman in the air.
''There is supposed to be something here,'' Superman answered quickly still scanning the Bay area. ''Lobo took Batman and he came here and disappeared. There has to be something here that- CYBORG! Help me scan this area!''
''Sure, what am I supposed to- OH!'' Cyborg said turning on his eye's augmentations and immediately saw what Superman had failed to see. ''It's in the sky.''
''What's in the sky?'' Zatanna asked looking up. ''LAEVER EHT TAERHT NI EHT YKS!''
In the sky, near Superman and Wonder Woman there appeared what seemed to be a crack which was leaking out red substance.
''Whatever it is, it is causing all the nearby fishes to swim away from here,'' Aquaman said walking to them while pulling water out of his hair. ''They don't respond to my telepathic commands, which means they are in survival mode.''
''Meaning whatever that is, it is dangerous,'' Cyborg said raising his hand at the crack in the sky and begun to run analysis as Superman and Wonder Woman descended to ground level. ''How did you know this would be here?''
''Lobo told me himself,'' Superman answered as soon as he was on the ground. ''Years ago, I met Lobo and he told me this would happen and when it happens, I should come here.''
''When did you meet with Lobo?'' Wonder Woman asked surprised.
''It was years ago, I wasn't even Superman back then,'' Superman answered as Cyborg scanned the red substance. ''He refereed me as Superman, knew we'd forge Justice League and he even told me about you and Bruce being my closest allies, before I had even met you.''
''Are you trying to say that Lobo you met was from the future?'' Zatanna asked.
''More like here and now present.''
''WOW!'' Cyborg said astonished as he pulled his arm back. ''Whatever the hell this stuff is, it's similar to the radiation frequencies of the Boom Tubes. And some serious mojo. I fell like it's-''
BOOOOOOM!
THIS IS WHERE HEREAFTER-STORY IS HAPPENING. NOW YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE.
CAN KEEP READING AND STAY ON THE POINT-OF-VIEW OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON.
YOU CAN GO READ HEREAFTER-STORY BY SKIPPING TO CHAPTER 5 TITLED 'INTO THE MULTIVERSE' TO KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE JUSTICE LEAGUE'S POINT-OF-VIEW AND KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.
THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
BUT NOW, THE STORY WILL CONTINUE WHERE HEREAFTER-STORY WILL END FOR THE JUSTICE LEAGUE.
It had been some hours after the Justice League had disappeared from the Cardiff Bay in an explotion of red jelly-like light when they finally returned in similar fashion. Since their disappearance had happened with a number of witnesses, a large group of people had gathered to the Bay expecting something to happen. The Royal Military and the US Military had built a perimeter between the Bay after the crack in the sky had turned more visible and begun to leak red substance.
''Director Waller?'' Harry Potter asked showing his covert mission ID-badge to a heavy-built African-American woman in a blue suit. ''Agent Potter, MI5, division 6. This is my partner agent Weasley. What is the situation here?''
''Show me that!'' Waller said ripping the badge of Harry's hands and made sure it was legit. ''I'm only telling you this because we are on British soil. A known extraterrestrial known only as Lobo flew into that thing in the sky. Not long after, Superman and some people from the Justice League came here in pursuit and then disappeared in some explosion related to that red thing leaking from there.''
''What exactly is that thing?'' Ron asked looking the crack in the sky. ''And that red stuff?''
''Some trans-dimensional matter,'' was answered by a bald man standing away from them before turning to greet Harry and Ron with a smug face. ''Lex Luthor, pleasure to meet you.''
''Mr. Luthor's company has worked with the US Military before and he has funded our operation here,'' Waller said introducing Harry and Ron to Luthor.
''Harry Potter,'' Harry said awkwardly shaking hands with Luthor. ''What do you mean with trans-dimensional matter?''
''Look up there, agent Potter,'' Luthor said pointing at the red crack in the sky. ''It isn't attached anything, and it's not floating. That 'crack' is literally on something and nothing. Scientifically, you could say it is a wound in the skin of reality and that red substance is blood from outside our universe.''
''Sounds mental,'' Ron said.
''Only if you can't see the big picture,'' Luthor said smiling smugly.
BOOM!
A Boom Tube was not unfamiliar thing to either muggles or wizards. It's appearance caused the soldiers present to point their weapons at it and the undercover Aurors their weapon-covered wands. Luthor took a glance at them with interest before his attention was taken by seeing the Justice League walking out of the Boom Tube. There was Superman walking out and holding the alien Lobo by the back his neck as he was pushing his space hog. And then there were the others, Cyborg, Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman and the magician. But there was another person with them, binded by Wonder Woman's golden lasso.
''Crouch!'' Harry said recognizing the face of the man escorted out from the Boom Tube by the Justice League.
''Who?'' Luthor asked curiously.
''An impostor-teacher from our school who tried to kill me,'' Harry said before attempting to barge at them, to be stopped by Ron.
''Harry,'' Ron said keeping his friend at bay, ''that can't be Crouch.''
Harry didn't listen, but suddenly the man looked at him and then away, making no innovation that he knew who Hary was. If this wasn't Crouch, then who was he and why did he look like Crouch?
As the Justice League returned to their universe, Batman kept the prisoner already tied to Wonder Woman's lasso held by his wrists and neck collar. With the experience this man had put him through, suicide was not the release Batman was allowing him to get. Also with the information he said he had, he had to be kept alive. Returning to their Cardiff was a welcoming sight until the soldiers became visible and the woman in charge approaching them.
''Batman.''
''Waller.''
''Where has the Justice League been and who is this man?'' Waller asked authoritatively as Cyborg and Zatanna closed the Boom Tube and the crack in the sky looked like it had begun to heal.
''In a parallel universe,'' Wonder Woman answered handing over to Waller a thick folder with a UN-logo on it. ''This has the report and answers to any questions you might have about what is in the other side of this Rift. I wrote it with the help of that universe's United Nations Intelligence Task-force and Torchwood representatives.''
Waller took the folder, opened it and begun to browse through it. While reading it, Superman was giving Lobo a lecture.
''We had a deal that you would leave everyone on Earth alone and not harm any more human'' Superman told the Czarnian. ''You gave your sacred word.''
''Orbit, doesn't count on Earth.''
''You singled out Batman, the one League member who was human,'' Superman continued. ''You do what I told you to do and then you get off this planet. Am I making myself clear?''
''Spring of 1998, London,'' Lobo said and Superman nodded. ''Tell young you about this and close the paradox. You got it, Supes.''
Superman let go of Lobo's neck and let him fly off to the sky.
''And did you do that?'' a voice asked behind Superman.
''Luthor,'' Superman said, ''what are you doing here?''
''Helping save the world when you and your club are too busy to do it,'' was Luthor's answer. ''And, briefing these two MI5s.''
''I know who they are,'' Superman said recognizing Harry and Ron. ''I was meeting with them before this happened.''
''About what?''
''That is confidential information, Mr. Luthor,'' Ron said to which Luthor responded with a 'typical' look on his face.
''Alright, everything seems to be in order,'' Waller said closing the folder and looked at the prisoner. ''You can take 'Dr. Noble' to Belle Reeve on Suicide Watch.''
''Director Waller, with all due respect,'' Harry attempted to appeal to Waller as a group of soldiers took the prisoner from Batman and begun to escort him to a helicopter, ''your ' ' resembles a Bartemius Crouch Jr. who was declared missing in June '95. I would like to have access to him where you are taking him.''
''You can like it how much you wish,'' Waller said turning Harry down. ''He is to be taken to Belle Reeve in Louisiana. If your MI5 can appeal to US government, you can try getting to see him.''
Having said that, Waller ordered her people to leave and the Justice League to go repair their satellite which had landed near Happy Harbour, Rhode Island. Before leaving, Harry and Ron got to their old DA token coins a message:
Meet me in Metropolis. I'll contact you more there.
-Superman
Among the observing civilians, the old man observed the events folding out. Of course he couldn't hear what everyone was talking about but all he needed was to see. And he saw what he needed to see.
''Where are you?'' the old man said tapping his ear.
''Watching the starry night sky in Rhode Island while trying to cover my tracks,'' his accompice's voice answered. ''Good thing Cyborg took off, there is nothing that can trace this back to me.''
''They are already blaming the Czarnian on it any way,'' the old man said watching Lobo flying off in his bike. ''Looks like he got out with a warning and- oh''
''What?''
''Guess who the Justice League brought with them,'' the old man said looking as the soldiers escorted a familiar looking a man to a helicopter. ''The Valeyard himself.''
There was a silence in the earpiece for a while, until the female accomplice spoke again.
''Oh, goody, the boss and the others will be happy to see him again.''
Author's notes: I have to admit it, when I first heard about Jesse Eisenberg being cast as Lex Luthor, I was like 'hahahahahahah- what? Seriously?' But when I wrote this chapter and tried to keep Luthor in character, I managed to imaging Jesse Eisenberg playing him. He did have his hair though, but maybe, just maybe, he can do it in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. What do you think?
Replies to reviews:
Miss Singing in the Rain: Keep pondering, my dear. Keep pondering.
That is in their characters, but you are right about that. And it was either that or flying through the roof and causing more property damage that Superman has been trying to avoid after fighting Zod.
To your last question, the seven founding members, minus the Green Lanterns. They are off-planet, for some reason. Then there is Zatanna, but she is more like an on/off consultant and then there are the recently joined Firestorm, Element Woman and Atom. But I can promise there are other superheroes/antiheroes out there as well.